800 mm (31 in) tall and up
Tall Corten steel planters
At 800 or 1000 mm (31 or 39 in), a tall planter brings foliage up to the eye level of someone sitting on the deck and puts the soil at a comfortable working height. We make tall sizes of our square and rectangular planters, in 2 mm or 1.5 mm Corten steel, and of our footed Thalie, in 2 mm.
Tall planter sizes, in millimeters and inches
A selection of our sizes at least 800 mm tall. Dimensions are outside measurements, given in millimeters with the inch equivalent rounded to the nearest inch. Weights are empty weights from each product page, and prices are US prices in the base finish (our signature patina). The outside volume (length × width × height) shows how much soil it would take to fill the planter right to the top, which, as we explain below, you rarely need to do.
| Model | L × W × H | Outside volume | Empty weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cybèle 2 mm | 400 × 400 × 800 mm (16 × 16 × 31 in) | 128 L (34 US gal) | 23.6 kg (52 lb) | $3,050 |
| Cybèle 2 mm | 600 × 600 × 1000 mm (24 × 24 × 39 in) | 360 L (95 US gal) | 44.5 kg (98 lb) | $4,020 |
| Cybèle 1.5 mm | 400 × 400 × 800 mm (16 × 16 × 31 in) | 128 L (34 US gal) | 23.6 kg (52 lb) | $3,080 |
| Cybèle 1.5 mm | 500 × 500 × 1000 mm (20 × 20 × 39 in) | 250 L (66 US gal) | 36.4 kg (80 lb) | $3,640 |
| Déméter 2 mm | 900 × 300 × 800 mm (35 × 12 × 31 in) | 216 L (57 US gal) | 38.1 kg (84 lb) | $3,540 |
| Déméter 2 mm | 1500 × 300 × 800 mm (59 × 12 × 31 in) | 360 L (95 US gal) | 57.5 kg (127 lb) | $4,270 |
| Déméter 2 mm | 1000 × 500 × 1000 mm (39 × 20 × 39 in) | 500 L (132 US gal) | 59.8 kg (132 lb) | $4,630 |
| Déméter 1.5 mm | 1200 × 300 × 800 mm (47 × 12 × 31 in) | 288 L (76 US gal) | 47.4 kg (104 lb) | $3,960 |
| Thalie on legs | 600 × 600 × 800 mm (24 × 24 × 31 in) | 288 L (76 US gal) | 37.1 kg (82 lb) | $3,750 |
| Thalie on legs | 800 × 800 × 1000 mm (31 × 31 × 39 in) | 640 L (169 US gal) | 65.7 kg (145 lb) | $5,140 |
Picking the right height for a tall planter
When the planter is meant to block a view, from a neighbor's deck or a street, add the height of the planter to the mature height of the plants. An 800 mm (31 in) planter with grasses or shrubs around 500 mm (20 in) tall already clears the eye line of a seated person; to screen someone standing, start at 1000 mm (39 in) and go for taller plants. When the goal is gardening without stooping, a rim between 800 and 1000 mm lands at hip or waist height for most adults. Keep the planting area within arm's reach: up to 600 mm (24 in) deep if you can reach it from one side only, deeper if you can walk around it.
On a wide deck or a large patio, a single tall planter can look lost. Two or three in a row, or a long trough, reads as a deliberate edge: it frames a seating area, separates the dining space from the yard, or lines the side of a porch without closing it in.
- Against a wall, a fence or a deck railing: Déméter, 300 mm (12 in) wide and 800 mm (31 in) tall, in 900, 1200 or 1500 mm (35, 47 or 59 in) lengths, in 2 mm or 1.5 mm steel.
- In the middle of a patio or as a freestanding column: Cybèle from 400 to 1400 mm (16 to 55 in) square, 800 or 1000 mm (31 or 39 in) tall (2 mm), or 400 and 500 mm (16 and 20 in) square (1.5 mm).
- A tall, wider run for a real privacy screen: Déméter 500 mm (20 in) wide and 800 or 1000 mm (31 or 39 in) tall, up to 2000 mm (79 in) long.
- Thalie on legs comes in 800 and 1000 mm (31 and 39 in) heights, from 600 to 1400 mm (24 to 55 in) square: if soil depth matters for what you plan to grow, ask us for the usable soil depth before you order.
Tall
Planters we make in tall sizes
Each card shows the model's lowest price across all its sizes; the table lists the prices of the sizes that stand 800 mm (31 in) tall or more.
How to fill a tall planter without buying too much soil
Most perennials, ornamental grasses and herbs do not need 39 inches of soil. Fill the bottom with a lightweight, free-draining material (expanded clay pebbles, pumice or lava rock), or build a false bottom with upside-down plastic nursery pots or open crates, then lay landscape fabric over it before adding potting mix. Leave as much potting mix under the roots as your plants need, and check that nothing in the base keeps water from draining out.
This cuts the amount of potting mix you need to buy and haul, and lowers the total weight, without changing how the planter looks. On a raised deck, the weight of a filled planter is worth discussing with whoever built or maintains the structure before you fill a large one. Our guide on how to choose a Corten steel planter goes further into drainage layers and plant choice.
Tall Corten planters: stability, runoff and patina
A tall, narrow planter tips more easily empty than full: set it on a flat, level surface, fill it only once it sits in its final spot, and put the 12-inch-wide sizes against a wall or a railing. Tall plants catch the wind; on an open, exposed site, choose a wider base (500 mm, 20 in) or a heavy false bottom such as gravel rather than a light one.
We apply our signature Cortenys patina in our workshop. Over 800 or 1000 mm of wall, rain running down the sides can leave rust-colored marks on the deck boards or concrete at the base of the planter. Protect light concrete, pale pavers or wood decking with small shims or spacers, a saucer or a gravel strip. Our guide to Corten steel care and rust stains covers prevention and cleanup.
Every model is also available with our protective varnish: on Cybèle 2 mm in 400 × 400 × 800 mm it is $3,100 instead of $3,050. The protective varnish greatly reduces runoff, but even varnished, Corten steel can still stain the floor, so keep shims, a saucer or a gravel strip under any planter that stands on a light surface.
Tall planter or tall pot for your yard?
If you prefer a round or flared shape, our Corten steel pots also come in tall versions, from 800 to 1200 mm (31 to 47 in). To compare every shape, low and tall, browse our full range of Corten steel planters. For a low border along a walkway, a Corten steel trough planter at a lower height is the better choice, and if you are after volume rather than height, see our large Corten steel planters.
Cortenys
Frequently asked questions
How tall does a planter have to be to count as a tall planter?
We set the line at 800 mm (31 in). Our tall models come 800 and 1000 mm (31 and 39 in) tall; the lowest-priced is Cybèle 2 mm in 400 × 400 × 800 mm (16 × 16 × 31 in), at $3,050.
Should a tall Corten planter be filled to the top with soil?
No. Fill the bottom with a light draining material or a false bottom (upside-down pots, open crates) covered with landscape fabric, then add only the depth of potting mix the roots need. Make sure water can still drain out freely at the base.
What tall planter height works for gardening standing up?
A rim between 800 and 1000 mm (31 and 39 in) suits most adults working standing up. Pick a depth you can reach across: up to 600 mm (24 in) if you can only reach it from one side, more if you can walk around it.
Will a 12-inch-wide, 31-inch-tall planter stay upright?
Once filled and set on a level surface, its weight keeps it in place; empty, it is much lighter (38.1 kg, 84 lb, for 900 × 300 × 800 mm). Place it against a wall or railing, fill it where it will stay, and skip very tall plants on a windy site.
For a privacy screen, a 39 in Cybèle or a slim 31 in Déméter?
Against a wall or railing, Déméter 2 mm, 300 mm (12 in) wide and 800 mm (31 in) tall, takes up little floor space: 900, 1200 or 1500 mm (35, 47 or 59 in) long, from $3,540 to $4,270. For a taller screen, or a row of tall plants, Cybèle 2 mm adds 200 mm (8 in), for example 600 × 600 × 1000 mm (24 × 24 × 39 in) at $4,020.
Can a tall Corten planter stain my deck or patio?
Yes. Rain running down 800 or 1000 mm of steel can carry rust onto the surface underneath, most visibly on light concrete, pale pavers or wood decking. Raise the planter on shims or spacers, stand it in a saucer or on a gravel strip, or set it on a dark paver. Our protective varnish greatly reduces runoff, but even varnished, Corten steel can still stain the floor, so keep that protection in place.
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